1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicular engine starting system, and in particular to a vehicular engine starting system in which a key cannot be removed from a keyhole unless a shift lever is shifted to a parking position.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional vehicular engine starting system, a key can be removed from a keyhole only when a shift lever is at a parking position, in order to prevent the vehicle from moving by itself on a slope, etc. while a vehicle user leaves the vehicle. For that purpose, a blocking lever can engage with a pivot shaft pivotable in response to pivoting of the key inserted into the keyhole so as to block the pivot shaft from pivoting from an ACC position to a LOCK position, and is biased by a return spring in a direction in which the blocking lever is disengaged from the pivot shaft. Further, the blocking lever is driven by a solenoid in a direction in which the blocking lever engages with the pivot shaft against the spring force of the return spring, the solenoid being energized when the shift lever is at a position other than the parking position.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional vehicular engine starting system, since the blocking lever in the disengaged position is driven to the engaged position by the solenoid, the solenoid has a comparatively large current consumption, and as a result the amount of heat generated in the solenoid is comparatively large.